End of Module Evaluation
Tuesday 9 May 2017
Development of Final Images
Gifs
Given how editorial image making has evolved with technological developments, such as the use of online formats, I thought it was essentially for at least one image from each format, vignette and full bleed, to be animated as simple gifs so as to increase their impact when viewed digitally.
With this in mind I decided to animate the bed image and weeping angle vignette given that I felt they would be the most effective to animate. Simple animations would also be required so as not to buffer/fail to load when viewed online, particular on mobile devices where internet connections may be limited/slower than that of computers/laptops being used at home.
The erratic timing of the moving elements has really heightened the disquieting atmosphere of my images showing how moving image can be used to further enhance the communication of a still image rather than change it.
I particularly like how out of sync the two lights in the above image are, only staying lit simultaneously for a very short time, so as to further enforce the feeling of loneliness and separation the two figures have from one another despite sharing a bed.
In the below image the moving image has added to the overall creepiness of the image further reinforcing the personification of the object that had been achieved in the still image by having it peering through the plant. This has further added to the paranoid/anxious atmosphere I wanted to convey when dealing with editorial images relating to the Weeping Angel software.
Gifs
Given how editorial image making has evolved with technological developments, such as the use of online formats, I thought it was essentially for at least one image from each format, vignette and full bleed, to be animated as simple gifs so as to increase their impact when viewed digitally.
With this in mind I decided to animate the bed image and weeping angle vignette given that I felt they would be the most effective to animate. Simple animations would also be required so as not to buffer/fail to load when viewed online, particular on mobile devices where internet connections may be limited/slower than that of computers/laptops being used at home.
The erratic timing of the moving elements has really heightened the disquieting atmosphere of my images showing how moving image can be used to further enhance the communication of a still image rather than change it.
I particularly like how out of sync the two lights in the above image are, only staying lit simultaneously for a very short time, so as to further enforce the feeling of loneliness and separation the two figures have from one another despite sharing a bed.
In the below image the moving image has added to the overall creepiness of the image further reinforcing the personification of the object that had been achieved in the still image by having it peering through the plant. This has further added to the paranoid/anxious atmosphere I wanted to convey when dealing with editorial images relating to the Weeping Angel software.
Development of Final Images
Double Page Spread
the only format that I hadn't yet covered and the one that I thought would be the most challenging was creating an image that would effectively work both online and as a printed double page spread. The reason I think this would be so challenging in my head is theoretically it has to be the strongest image given the amount of space it would occupy within a newspaper or on screen.
Unlike a vignette it wouldn't be printed small as an accompaniment to further communicate the concepts of a vast body of text, instead it would be the main element with a small piece of text in form of a title helping to contextualise and communicate what the image is about.
Therefore this image needs to be the strongest in terms of clear communication, atmosphere and engagement.
With this in mind I wanted to further develop the weeping angel vignette into a full bleed image so as to create soemthing much more eerie and unsettling that better communicated the pervaisive level of surveillance this technology allows for within society.
Therefore I came up with the concept of once again employ a 1984 like telescreen. In the original sketches I had used the eye motifs again however in the final image I decided to use a literal weeping angel's face. This was because I thought it was quite a haunting image creating a much heavier and eerie atmosphere seeped in melancholy yet also bordering on the sinister.
Oriogionally I had created the image without a figure in it as I couldn't quite work out how to visually break the image down clearly into the different elements with such a limited colour pallette. However in the end I was able to achieve this by outlining the edge of the sofa and figure that are facing the screen with the lightest colour giving the impressions that the light from the screen is glowing on them.
I am glad I persavered with including the figures as I think this use of light is what has made this image so aethetically pleasing and dramtic. Furthermore it has actually massively heightened the communication of the image given that as the figure is facing away from the tv in an other wise dark room it implies the tv has seemingly been shut off but is still on and watching the figure ubeknownst to him whilst his back is turn.
Double Page Spread
the only format that I hadn't yet covered and the one that I thought would be the most challenging was creating an image that would effectively work both online and as a printed double page spread. The reason I think this would be so challenging in my head is theoretically it has to be the strongest image given the amount of space it would occupy within a newspaper or on screen.
Unlike a vignette it wouldn't be printed small as an accompaniment to further communicate the concepts of a vast body of text, instead it would be the main element with a small piece of text in form of a title helping to contextualise and communicate what the image is about.
Therefore this image needs to be the strongest in terms of clear communication, atmosphere and engagement.
With this in mind I wanted to further develop the weeping angel vignette into a full bleed image so as to create soemthing much more eerie and unsettling that better communicated the pervaisive level of surveillance this technology allows for within society.
Therefore I came up with the concept of once again employ a 1984 like telescreen. In the original sketches I had used the eye motifs again however in the final image I decided to use a literal weeping angel's face. This was because I thought it was quite a haunting image creating a much heavier and eerie atmosphere seeped in melancholy yet also bordering on the sinister.
Oriogionally I had created the image without a figure in it as I couldn't quite work out how to visually break the image down clearly into the different elements with such a limited colour pallette. However in the end I was able to achieve this by outlining the edge of the sofa and figure that are facing the screen with the lightest colour giving the impressions that the light from the screen is glowing on them.
I am glad I persavered with including the figures as I think this use of light is what has made this image so aethetically pleasing and dramtic. Furthermore it has actually massively heightened the communication of the image given that as the figure is facing away from the tv in an other wise dark room it implies the tv has seemingly been shut off but is still on and watching the figure ubeknownst to him whilst his back is turn.
Development of Final Images
Isolation
Another major area of my research/investigation for this brief was how modern technology and social media can ironically be isolating despite the supposed inter connectivity it grants us. Having explored some more positive aspects of this I realise that the more negative aspects of social media that lead to isolation of often self inflicted where by an individual isolates their self, using social media as a mask or defence due to perceived imperfections they have themselves which are heightened by constantly looking at what other people are doing
Therefore the roughs I had created depicting lone figures sat in towers seemed the most effective way of communicating this. This is due to the fact that the figures have tried to build a defence around themselves, ie building up a more desirable self image and forms of interaction online, but has in the process isolated themselves and been put into a position where by they can only watch what others are doing without any meaningful interaction.
Unlike the previous two images I was very happy with how both of these came out. Although they communicate the same concept I like how two different formats have enhanced the feel of each of the images. For example as a vignette, the use of three dimensions as well as the clouds at the base has created the impression of a tower rising up and existing within a vast space given that there are no fix borders or place from which the image 'begins'. This has really heightened the sense of isolation in the image.
Conversely within the full bleed image lighting and composition has been used to give a very subdued, eerie and melancholy atmosphere which has also helped to successfully communicate a strong sense of isolation albeit in a very different manner.
Isolation
Another major area of my research/investigation for this brief was how modern technology and social media can ironically be isolating despite the supposed inter connectivity it grants us. Having explored some more positive aspects of this I realise that the more negative aspects of social media that lead to isolation of often self inflicted where by an individual isolates their self, using social media as a mask or defence due to perceived imperfections they have themselves which are heightened by constantly looking at what other people are doing
Therefore the roughs I had created depicting lone figures sat in towers seemed the most effective way of communicating this. This is due to the fact that the figures have tried to build a defence around themselves, ie building up a more desirable self image and forms of interaction online, but has in the process isolated themselves and been put into a position where by they can only watch what others are doing without any meaningful interaction.
Unlike the previous two images I was very happy with how both of these came out. Although they communicate the same concept I like how two different formats have enhanced the feel of each of the images. For example as a vignette, the use of three dimensions as well as the clouds at the base has created the impression of a tower rising up and existing within a vast space given that there are no fix borders or place from which the image 'begins'. This has really heightened the sense of isolation in the image.
Conversely within the full bleed image lighting and composition has been used to give a very subdued, eerie and melancholy atmosphere which has also helped to successfully communicate a strong sense of isolation albeit in a very different manner.
Monday 8 May 2017
Development of Final Images
Vignettes
Given that social media and technology as a distraction was one of the key areas of research I wanted to communicate within my editorial illustration I decided to go ahead and develop the shouting phone image I had roughed out previously in the project into a final image.
As I have now completed two final images, the process of translating other roughs into finals has spread up significantly due to the fact that I will be using the same process and colour scheme within all my final images so as to create a unified set of 6 images.
Another concept I was keen to communicate was that of using technology, particularly the internet to de fraud people. Therefore I wanted to develop the thieving hand roughs I had drawn earlier in the project. Along with the shouting phone and the laptop spying behind the plant I think these images work well as vignettes. This is because in all three there is a simple object with a surreal aspect added to it so as to create an effective visual metaphor.
Thoughts on what does/doesn't work
However out of all the images I think the phone shouting is by far the weakest both conceptually and visually. Visually I think it is perhaps overly simple and just a some what boring and unimaginative image. Furthermore the intended communication is a bit murky as, given that it is a phone, rather than communicating technology as a distraction the mouth eludes to it simply being about communication.
In contrast to this I am really pleased with how the images of the hand stealing has come out. Visually it is quite satisfying to look out given how your eye follows the lighter element of the hand/arm between the two darker elements, the phone and the debit card, which also both balance each other/the image.
In terms of communication I think it is immediately clear what is being communicated and I think the format of a vignette has further strengthened this communication by allowing the image to be as simple as possible.
Vignettes
Given that social media and technology as a distraction was one of the key areas of research I wanted to communicate within my editorial illustration I decided to go ahead and develop the shouting phone image I had roughed out previously in the project into a final image.
As I have now completed two final images, the process of translating other roughs into finals has spread up significantly due to the fact that I will be using the same process and colour scheme within all my final images so as to create a unified set of 6 images.
Another concept I was keen to communicate was that of using technology, particularly the internet to de fraud people. Therefore I wanted to develop the thieving hand roughs I had drawn earlier in the project. Along with the shouting phone and the laptop spying behind the plant I think these images work well as vignettes. This is because in all three there is a simple object with a surreal aspect added to it so as to create an effective visual metaphor.
Thoughts on what does/doesn't work
However out of all the images I think the phone shouting is by far the weakest both conceptually and visually. Visually I think it is perhaps overly simple and just a some what boring and unimaginative image. Furthermore the intended communication is a bit murky as, given that it is a phone, rather than communicating technology as a distraction the mouth eludes to it simply being about communication.
In contrast to this I am really pleased with how the images of the hand stealing has come out. Visually it is quite satisfying to look out given how your eye follows the lighter element of the hand/arm between the two darker elements, the phone and the debit card, which also both balance each other/the image.
In terms of communication I think it is immediately clear what is being communicated and I think the format of a vignette has further strengthened this communication by allowing the image to be as simple as possible.
Development of Final Images
Texture
I felt that another thing missing from the two final images I had created was textural elements. This is because I feel that adding texture would take away the harsh, overly clean digital feel making them feel more human and engaging. Furthermore Given that I had intended for my final images to have a hand printed aesthetic I think trying to recreate print textures digital is essential to working within my own parameters that I set out for this brief.
Process
Initially I have tried simply scanning in screen printed textures and using layer mask along with the multiply blending option to apply a screen printed texture to my final image. However I felt, when applied on screen it looked too much like charcoal rather than print.therefore I decided to go about making my own textures digitally.
I did this by layering up mono printed textures, changing the tone of/inverting some layers so as to build up a a texture comprising of different printed feedback of a variety of tonal ranges. This I then applied to my final images through the use of layer mask and the multiply blending option. This have given my images a much more subtle texture helping to take away from that overly clean digital edge whilst not overly complicated or merging the tones of the different layers as I had found is the case with some textures in 504.
Texture
I felt that another thing missing from the two final images I had created was textural elements. This is because I feel that adding texture would take away the harsh, overly clean digital feel making them feel more human and engaging. Furthermore Given that I had intended for my final images to have a hand printed aesthetic I think trying to recreate print textures digital is essential to working within my own parameters that I set out for this brief.
Process
Initially I have tried simply scanning in screen printed textures and using layer mask along with the multiply blending option to apply a screen printed texture to my final image. However I felt, when applied on screen it looked too much like charcoal rather than print.therefore I decided to go about making my own textures digitally.
I did this by layering up mono printed textures, changing the tone of/inverting some layers so as to build up a a texture comprising of different printed feedback of a variety of tonal ranges. This I then applied to my final images through the use of layer mask and the multiply blending option. This have given my images a much more subtle texture helping to take away from that overly clean digital edge whilst not overly complicated or merging the tones of the different layers as I had found is the case with some textures in 504.
Development of Finalised Images
Colour
Having highlighted colour as a major issue with the final images that I had developed I spent a long time trying to figure out which colour pallets worked both visually and conceptually.
Immediately I think the reds convey the wrong atmosphere and message. This is because of the association with either love or murder which distorts the communication of the images dramatically. Even though the bottom set of images explores relationships this sin't in a romantic sense with technology in fact being depicted as be a dividing factor. Therefore I feel that red is definitely the wrong choice for my images.
Of those showed above I this the most striking visually are the bottom left in both grids as well as the top middle and top left. However in terms of communication the top two colour palettes down communicate my intended message/atmosphere. For example I think the middle colour palette is far too vibrant and cheerful taking away from the anxious and eerie mood that I am trying to create. Furthermore I feel that the top left is too dark creating something that is overly sinister and has an almost horror like feel to it. This is due to the association of danger that you get when viewing black and yellow together.
Reasoning for Chosen Palette
Therefore the colour palette I have gone with is that of the muted purples and blues. Although you could still screen print it, the proposed overlay over lay of the middle blue and dark purple to create a light purple is more subtle and less garish than that of the yellow/blue to make green that I had originally tried. Further more the purple gives the images a really ephemeral, eerie and quite otherworldly feel which I think helps reinforce the desired atmosphere that I have highlighted in previous posts and research into practitioners.
Colour
Having highlighted colour as a major issue with the final images that I had developed I spent a long time trying to figure out which colour pallets worked both visually and conceptually.
Immediately I think the reds convey the wrong atmosphere and message. This is because of the association with either love or murder which distorts the communication of the images dramatically. Even though the bottom set of images explores relationships this sin't in a romantic sense with technology in fact being depicted as be a dividing factor. Therefore I feel that red is definitely the wrong choice for my images.
Of those showed above I this the most striking visually are the bottom left in both grids as well as the top middle and top left. However in terms of communication the top two colour palettes down communicate my intended message/atmosphere. For example I think the middle colour palette is far too vibrant and cheerful taking away from the anxious and eerie mood that I am trying to create. Furthermore I feel that the top left is too dark creating something that is overly sinister and has an almost horror like feel to it. This is due to the association of danger that you get when viewing black and yellow together.
Reasoning for Chosen Palette
Therefore the colour palette I have gone with is that of the muted purples and blues. Although you could still screen print it, the proposed overlay over lay of the middle blue and dark purple to create a light purple is more subtle and less garish than that of the yellow/blue to make green that I had originally tried. Further more the purple gives the images a really ephemeral, eerie and quite otherworldly feel which I think helps reinforce the desired atmosphere that I have highlighted in previous posts and research into practitioners.
Development of finalised images
Process
Given that I had begun to produce roughed out versions of images that I was happy with both in terms of concept and composition I thought I should start figuring how I would translate them into final images.
As I want the images to work as screen prints and if possible have a similar aesthetic I decided to use a similar process as to the one I used to create my final images in 504. Therefore I drew out my final images at a larger format and outlined them with pencil crayon so as to give the edges of the shape that nice rough, analogue looking aesthetic even when they were refined digitally.
Once on screen I begun streamlining the process I had started using in 504 where by I filled in the different areas of the shape digitally using duplicates of the layers to help add in or subtract areas where a different colour is needed. However this time around I create a new layer for each individual shape within the composition that allowed for me to edit things a lot more quickly and effectively.
Colour
Although I am happy with the final sketches, once I filled them in on screen I was really un happy with them. I think colour is a major here. Given that I wanted them to have the appearance of a screen print I was keen to give the impression of a 3 colour print with over lays. However I think I need to try out different colour pallets as I think the above palette is far too garish.
Furthermore I realise some palettes may work for the full bleed images but not the vignettes I create and vice versa. Therefore I need to come up with a flexible pallet that works for all my images, regardless of format.
Process
Given that I had begun to produce roughed out versions of images that I was happy with both in terms of concept and composition I thought I should start figuring how I would translate them into final images.
As I want the images to work as screen prints and if possible have a similar aesthetic I decided to use a similar process as to the one I used to create my final images in 504. Therefore I drew out my final images at a larger format and outlined them with pencil crayon so as to give the edges of the shape that nice rough, analogue looking aesthetic even when they were refined digitally.
Once on screen I begun streamlining the process I had started using in 504 where by I filled in the different areas of the shape digitally using duplicates of the layers to help add in or subtract areas where a different colour is needed. However this time around I create a new layer for each individual shape within the composition that allowed for me to edit things a lot more quickly and effectively.
Colour
Although I am happy with the final sketches, once I filled them in on screen I was really un happy with them. I think colour is a major here. Given that I wanted them to have the appearance of a screen print I was keen to give the impression of a 3 colour print with over lays. However I think I need to try out different colour pallets as I think the above palette is far too garish.
Furthermore I realise some palettes may work for the full bleed images but not the vignettes I create and vice versa. Therefore I need to come up with a flexible pallet that works for all my images, regardless of format.
Development
Refined Roughs
Keen to start on my final images I decided to begin by thoroughly developing my strongest design, that of the couple in bed, so as to get a better grasp as to how my roughs will scale up and translate into final images.
Here I have used the roughing process to tidy up and iron out and defects within the compositions. Given that I usually create quite bold and reductive imagery, something that has been highlighted as a strength in the crits for this module and others I usually try and boil the image down to as few key elements as possible.
I feel this helps maximise the impact and communication of an image by trimming away any unnecessary details.
Refined Roughs
Keen to start on my final images I decided to begin by thoroughly developing my strongest design, that of the couple in bed, so as to get a better grasp as to how my roughs will scale up and translate into final images.
Here I have used the roughing process to tidy up and iron out and defects within the compositions. Given that I usually create quite bold and reductive imagery, something that has been highlighted as a strength in the crits for this module and others I usually try and boil the image down to as few key elements as possible.
I feel this helps maximise the impact and communication of an image by trimming away any unnecessary details.
Colour
Although I prefer to develop colour palettes on screen due to the range of colours available and flexibility of application that Photoshop allows I have tried some initial tests within my sketchbook. However this is more so as to gage how the different areas of the image will work with regards to tone.
In terms of communication I am not fully sold on these colours as I think they are perhaps a bit too vibrant however visually I think they help break down the image very successfully giving it a very dramatic overall composition visually. However I do definitely need to work on this preferably on screen so as to work faster and more effectively with colour.
Development
Roughs: Exploitation of Technology
Having read into the development of the Weeping Angel Software as well as the prevalence of online fraud I was keen to visually explore ideas of surveillance and theft through the use of personal technology/devices.
Surveillance
With many drawing comparisons between Weeping Angel and the telescreens from 1984 I set about creating a series of roughs eluding to this. Furthermore I have read that I loop whole within the software that uses headphone that they can be used as microphones, picking up audio frequencies as well as giving them off. Therefore I decided to draw some roughs depicting headphones as ears to show how this technology can be hi-jacked and used for malicious reasons.
Although it could be argued that visually these ideas are very over used I think they are also extemely effective in delivering the desired message as well as creating an erie sense of tensions that I want through out my images.
Out of all of them I think the image of the laptop peering through a plant is the most effective as it is slightly more playful visually as well as unsettling in terms of concept due to personifying the computer.
Online Fraud
Some of my favourite images produced this year have been the contorted figures I produced as part OUIL503. Therefore when drawing out roughs relating to online fraud I wanted to amply the same visual aethetic to the visual metaphor of a hand reaching out of a screen and stealing something personal.
Conceptually I was quite determined to develop this from the get go and here I have used roughing more as a tool to figure out composition rather than develop multiple different ways of communicating the same idea.
However I do think I have subconsciously done this given that looking back on the images I think that the best one in terms of communicating the idea is that of the hand reaching out and grabbing a credit card or passport. This is because where as the other images elude to a physical item being stolen which isn't actually possible these two suggest sensitive personal details being stolen through which identity fraud could be committed.
Roughs: Exploitation of Technology
Having read into the development of the Weeping Angel Software as well as the prevalence of online fraud I was keen to visually explore ideas of surveillance and theft through the use of personal technology/devices.
Surveillance
With many drawing comparisons between Weeping Angel and the telescreens from 1984 I set about creating a series of roughs eluding to this. Furthermore I have read that I loop whole within the software that uses headphone that they can be used as microphones, picking up audio frequencies as well as giving them off. Therefore I decided to draw some roughs depicting headphones as ears to show how this technology can be hi-jacked and used for malicious reasons.
Although it could be argued that visually these ideas are very over used I think they are also extemely effective in delivering the desired message as well as creating an erie sense of tensions that I want through out my images.
Out of all of them I think the image of the laptop peering through a plant is the most effective as it is slightly more playful visually as well as unsettling in terms of concept due to personifying the computer.
Online Fraud
Some of my favourite images produced this year have been the contorted figures I produced as part OUIL503. Therefore when drawing out roughs relating to online fraud I wanted to amply the same visual aethetic to the visual metaphor of a hand reaching out of a screen and stealing something personal.
Conceptually I was quite determined to develop this from the get go and here I have used roughing more as a tool to figure out composition rather than develop multiple different ways of communicating the same idea.
However I do think I have subconsciously done this given that looking back on the images I think that the best one in terms of communicating the idea is that of the hand reaching out and grabbing a credit card or passport. This is because where as the other images elude to a physical item being stolen which isn't actually possible these two suggest sensitive personal details being stolen through which identity fraud could be committed.
Development
Roughs: Social Media as a Distraction
Having decided to persue the more negative aspects of technology I began drawing out roughs in response to the idea of technology and more specifically social media being a major distraction that has reduced our ability to concentrate and has created a culture in which we need everything to be immediate and easily digestible.
The first visual metaphor I played around with was the a figure having tied himself and being incapacitated due to his obsessive use of social media. I think this concept works best as a vignette as the full bleed images don't share the same tense feel of those I have previously produced. I think these image are also perhaps a bit to light hearted in their humour to fit in with the particular tone of voice I am trying to create with this project.
Although in terms of Ton of Voice I think that the images of just the phone work better I think their communication is slightly confused when motifs of musical instruments are added to the mix. This is because although it still conveys the idea of something distracting it immediately makes them feel like they are conveying something to do with music generally.
Therefore out of the all the above roughs the most successful is that of the phone screaming. I can also imagine this translating into a simple gif quite easily and effectively.
Vignettes vs Full Bleed
Although I think in terms of atmosphere full bleed images are more effective I still want to produce some vignettes as part of this project. This is because all of my 504 responses were full bleed so I therefore think it would help broaden visual range. Furthermore within the context of editorial I think it is good to have a range of both types of image. This is so as to allow for a more appealing sense of visual variation coupled with the fact that quite often vignettes can alow for visual metaphors to be used in a more reductive and succinct way to communicate a specific idea rather than an overall atmosphere.
Roughs: Social Media as a Distraction
Having decided to persue the more negative aspects of technology I began drawing out roughs in response to the idea of technology and more specifically social media being a major distraction that has reduced our ability to concentrate and has created a culture in which we need everything to be immediate and easily digestible.
The first visual metaphor I played around with was the a figure having tied himself and being incapacitated due to his obsessive use of social media. I think this concept works best as a vignette as the full bleed images don't share the same tense feel of those I have previously produced. I think these image are also perhaps a bit to light hearted in their humour to fit in with the particular tone of voice I am trying to create with this project.
Although in terms of Ton of Voice I think that the images of just the phone work better I think their communication is slightly confused when motifs of musical instruments are added to the mix. This is because although it still conveys the idea of something distracting it immediately makes them feel like they are conveying something to do with music generally.
Therefore out of the all the above roughs the most successful is that of the phone screaming. I can also imagine this translating into a simple gif quite easily and effectively.
Vignettes vs Full Bleed
Although I think in terms of atmosphere full bleed images are more effective I still want to produce some vignettes as part of this project. This is because all of my 504 responses were full bleed so I therefore think it would help broaden visual range. Furthermore within the context of editorial I think it is good to have a range of both types of image. This is so as to allow for a more appealing sense of visual variation coupled with the fact that quite often vignettes can alow for visual metaphors to be used in a more reductive and succinct way to communicate a specific idea rather than an overall atmosphere.
Development: Roughs
Alternate Concepts: More Positive Imagery
Following on from the crit I decided to rough out a few designs focusing on more positive aspects of technology, mainly how it can bring people together when separated by geographical boundaries. I think the bottom two images are the most effective at communicating this with the image on the left being particularly strong by using tonal variations to create the notion that the two people are speaking despite being separated by living in different time zones. I particularly like how this is a subtly abstract way of communicating this idea.
Although visually I like the image of the dad reading to his kid I think he could possibly be mistaking for a ghost which would completely alter the intended communication conveying notions of death and the supernatural.
I also think the intended meaning of the couple holding hands is also slightly skewed by how I've drawn the image. Although it is meant to be the same visual motif as the bottom left image, with tonal variation being used to depict their living in different time zones, it instead looks like an article about race and marriage which isn't my intended communication at all.
Thoughts On This Direction
Although I think it is beneficial to try out as many different avenues of an area of research when responding to a brief I still think I am going to stick with further developing the more angst ridden images I had create previously.
This is because this module is meant to focus on creating a personal response to our given area of illustration and with this in mind I think it is important to communicate my own opinions with regards to how I respond to my research.
This is due to the fact that when doing initial research into the editorial illustration industry, personal opinion of the illustrators was highlighted as an important factor when creating effective and engaging responses to briefs.
Alternate Concepts: More Positive Imagery
Following on from the crit I decided to rough out a few designs focusing on more positive aspects of technology, mainly how it can bring people together when separated by geographical boundaries. I think the bottom two images are the most effective at communicating this with the image on the left being particularly strong by using tonal variations to create the notion that the two people are speaking despite being separated by living in different time zones. I particularly like how this is a subtly abstract way of communicating this idea.
Although visually I like the image of the dad reading to his kid I think he could possibly be mistaking for a ghost which would completely alter the intended communication conveying notions of death and the supernatural.
I also think the intended meaning of the couple holding hands is also slightly skewed by how I've drawn the image. Although it is meant to be the same visual motif as the bottom left image, with tonal variation being used to depict their living in different time zones, it instead looks like an article about race and marriage which isn't my intended communication at all.
Thoughts On This Direction
Although I think it is beneficial to try out as many different avenues of an area of research when responding to a brief I still think I am going to stick with further developing the more angst ridden images I had create previously.
This is because this module is meant to focus on creating a personal response to our given area of illustration and with this in mind I think it is important to communicate my own opinions with regards to how I respond to my research.
This is due to the fact that when doing initial research into the editorial illustration industry, personal opinion of the illustrators was highlighted as an important factor when creating effective and engaging responses to briefs.
Development:
Initial Roughs
The first set of roughs I produced primarily focused on the negative impact of technology and more specifically social media on our day to day lives and relationships. The above set were drawn in quite a cinematic style due to my intention to create a tense, dramatic yet subdued feel within my final images.
Therefore I felt a focus on creating dynamic compositions, particularly through lighting was the best way to go about this. Although it is quite time consuming and I have been told it isn't needed for initial roughs I like to get a full tonal range in them so as to better understand how the lighting will effect the composition and, given that I create most images within the intention that they could if needed to be screen printed, it allows me to understand how the images will work with a constrained colour pallet.
In the above images I tried to employ more visual metaphors so as to convey concepts such the notion of being addicted to social media and using social media as a mask. This latter concept I think was the strongest given that there is a strong case based on my research that people use social media to construct a better image of themselves so as to attempt to keep their anxieties at bay.
However visually I didn't quite like how this concept had translate so therefore I tried using a different metaphor, images of towers/castles, to convey the same concept. I also think these are more effective due to the ambiguity they allow. This is because the fact that they are solitary towers implies a sense of isolation possibly given to the figure by a reliance on social media rather than real life interactions.
Feedback
During the group crit it was highlighted that my roughs are usually most effect when kept simple. In particularly the very first image of a couple lying back to back with their phones illuminating their faces was highlighted as being particularly powerful and therefore despite being at such an early stage is a design I will most likely develop into a final image.
It was also agreed the ambiguity and surreal nature of the tower images was very effective but that the communication could perhaps be clearer with the suggestion of using windows in the shape of social media logos being one way of possibly improving this.
Although I have intended my project to have quite a negative and angst ridden feel it was suggested that I could also look into and visual experiment with more positive aspects of technology.
Initial Roughs
The first set of roughs I produced primarily focused on the negative impact of technology and more specifically social media on our day to day lives and relationships. The above set were drawn in quite a cinematic style due to my intention to create a tense, dramatic yet subdued feel within my final images.
Therefore I felt a focus on creating dynamic compositions, particularly through lighting was the best way to go about this. Although it is quite time consuming and I have been told it isn't needed for initial roughs I like to get a full tonal range in them so as to better understand how the lighting will effect the composition and, given that I create most images within the intention that they could if needed to be screen printed, it allows me to understand how the images will work with a constrained colour pallet.
In the above images I tried to employ more visual metaphors so as to convey concepts such the notion of being addicted to social media and using social media as a mask. This latter concept I think was the strongest given that there is a strong case based on my research that people use social media to construct a better image of themselves so as to attempt to keep their anxieties at bay.
However visually I didn't quite like how this concept had translate so therefore I tried using a different metaphor, images of towers/castles, to convey the same concept. I also think these are more effective due to the ambiguity they allow. This is because the fact that they are solitary towers implies a sense of isolation possibly given to the figure by a reliance on social media rather than real life interactions.
Feedback
During the group crit it was highlighted that my roughs are usually most effect when kept simple. In particularly the very first image of a couple lying back to back with their phones illuminating their faces was highlighted as being particularly powerful and therefore despite being at such an early stage is a design I will most likely develop into a final image.
It was also agreed the ambiguity and surreal nature of the tower images was very effective but that the communication could perhaps be clearer with the suggestion of using windows in the shape of social media logos being one way of possibly improving this.
Although I have intended my project to have quite a negative and angst ridden feel it was suggested that I could also look into and visual experiment with more positive aspects of technology.
Further Research
Read a further range of articles from both The Independent and The Guardian focusing on different aspects of social media and technology that I have already looked into.
Has Technology Killed Romance?
Made the process a lot faster - people now more active in seeking out matches rather than relying on chance encounters.
Argues the notion of 'the chase' and 'chivalry' has be eroded away due to technology.
People are now more forward - however you could argue this in a positive rather than negative light.
On a more positive note it also argues that it allows you to meet people, possibly better matches, that you never would have been able to meet other wise due to transcending immediate geographical boundaries.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/dating/advice/has-technology-killed-romance-8511647.html
Financial Scams
Less interesting and in depth than other articles I've read but quite shocking (could be argued purposefully so given that it's intended to get readers to click the link).
Details the rate of financial scams are committed, many of which online.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/financial-scam-takes-place-every-15-seconds-in-uk-a7317561.html
Weeping Angel
Various different online platforms reported the revaluation earlier this year that the technology now exists and is being deployed by the CIA which can covertly access any internet enabled devices and turn them in to permanent surveillance devices.
Most shocking aspect was the insidious nature by which this happens given that they make your devices appear to be off whilst actually still recording what is around them.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/07/cia-targeting-devices-smartphones-pc-tv-wikileaks
Read a further range of articles from both The Independent and The Guardian focusing on different aspects of social media and technology that I have already looked into.
Has Technology Killed Romance?
Made the process a lot faster - people now more active in seeking out matches rather than relying on chance encounters.
Argues the notion of 'the chase' and 'chivalry' has be eroded away due to technology.
People are now more forward - however you could argue this in a positive rather than negative light.
On a more positive note it also argues that it allows you to meet people, possibly better matches, that you never would have been able to meet other wise due to transcending immediate geographical boundaries.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/dating/advice/has-technology-killed-romance-8511647.html
Financial Scams
Less interesting and in depth than other articles I've read but quite shocking (could be argued purposefully so given that it's intended to get readers to click the link).
Details the rate of financial scams are committed, many of which online.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/financial-scam-takes-place-every-15-seconds-in-uk-a7317561.html
Weeping Angel
Various different online platforms reported the revaluation earlier this year that the technology now exists and is being deployed by the CIA which can covertly access any internet enabled devices and turn them in to permanent surveillance devices.
Most shocking aspect was the insidious nature by which this happens given that they make your devices appear to be off whilst actually still recording what is around them.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/07/cia-targeting-devices-smartphones-pc-tv-wikileaks
Study Task 2
Inspirational Illustrators
For this task I have tried to include a collection of not just my favourite contemporary practitioners but more specifically ones that I feel relate directly to the context of editorial illustration as well as the aims I have within my own practice on a more general level outside of this module.
Mood/Atmosphere
Throughout 504 mood and atmosphere was a huge part of my work and is something I want to carry through to the rest of my practice. In particular I am interested in creating erie, ephemeral imagery that has a muted yet dramatic feel to it. This is something that is present in the majority of the illustrators I have included below.
In the work of Bragg, McNaught and Kalorkoti clever and dramatic compositions are combined with well considered colour pallets so as to create images rich in atmosphere. In the images by Kalorkoti and McNaught this is used to create a sense of melancholy, something I have often tried within in my own work and given the anxious subject matter of this current project, it is something that I want to carry through into 505.
Jon McNaught
Bill Bragg
Format
All the illustrators I have chosen produce work for editorial commissions, however I have tried to include a range of different formats so as to best display and understand the variety of different formats you may be require to produce.
As mentioned earlier in this post I am most interested in creating highly atmospheric, full bleed compositions, however I realise vignettes are also incredibly effective and used often within the context of editorial illustration. The below image by David Faldvari is a good example of how a clever visual metaphor can be turn into a simple vignette that would sit alongside a piece of text. This would create a better sense of unity between the image and text creating a more succinct response to a given article.
Visual Metaphors
The use of visual metaphors, in any given format, is also essential within editorial illustration due to how it requires you to clearly and succinctly communicate abstract concepts as well as summarise whole bodies of text in a way that might not be possible through the use of literal imagery.
Tiaggo Galo
David Faldavari
Process/aesthetic
After 504 I feel a real affinity for both the process and aesthetic of print, particularly screen print. However I realise that, given the short time frames in which you have to complete commissions, you would never be expected or be able to screen print designs for editorial commissions. Therefore am interested in trying to mimic this process digitally.
All the above artists create bold imagery in which texture helps break down the different elements and give them a warmer more engaging feel. In some cases this is through the use of analogue processes, as is the case with Faldvari and Kalorkoti who create their images use ink. However in the cases of Bragg, Galo and McNaught this is created through both analogue printing methods, such as screen printing, as well as through the digital application of textures so as to make the images appear that they have. This is something I want to gain a better understanding of and bring into my own work.
Audience
Although the above practitioners operate in a variety of different areas, all have undertaken a lot of editorial commission, almost all of which have been for broadsheet newspapers, most of which have been left leaning.
This means that much of their work is produced for a mature, intellectual audience who probably have an interest in and understanding of social, political and economic issues. Therefore the tone and content of their work has to reflect this, often communicating quite complex subject matter in a way that is visually playful but serious in its over all tone.
Promotion
Having researched these practitioners I have realised just how essential social media and online presence is to gaining commissions. All the above practitioners have regularly updated Instagram accounts within which they can display their most recent and best work giving art directors a flavour for what they do. Furthermore they then include contact details as well as links to their websites so as to allow for further enquiries and a more in depth look at their work.
When displaying work online I think it is important to let the work speak for itself, with just small accompanying descriptions giving an insight to the context of the illustration rather than pages and pages of writing being the most effective way of displaying them.
Industry Research
Highly conceptual with short deadlines therefore must be
-Reflective
-Thought provoking
-Fast paced
-Translate/communicate complex concepts in a way that is both clear and succinct
-Must be engaging: doesn't necessarily need to illustrate an article exactly but give the reader enough of an idea of what it's about so as to entice people to read further
-Can communicate and say more than what a photo can due to imagination/viewpoint/opinions of the illustrator
-Research is essential to making informed and interesting responses within the context of editorial
Cliental
-The Association of Illustrators sells 'The Edittorial Directory' online listing all companies that commission editorial work
-Art directors like to see a range of work and a social element being used to show work: ie instagram has become a major base for gaining commissions
Range of Work
-Newspaper/websites, usually broadsheets such as The Observer, The Guardian and the Times; important to bare in mind that the political leanings of these papers will effect what they commission
-Lifestyle magazine such as Frankie and Menshealth. This is either used to give the magazine a distinct visual identity as is the case with Frankie or as informative/instructional illustrations in Menshealth. In the latter case illustrations can be more useful than photos as they can be more simple and clear in what they are telling you to do.
-Illustrate subject matter that can't be photographed such as complex scientific theories or concepts as is the case with many articles in New Scientist.
Highly conceptual with short deadlines therefore must be
-Reflective
-Thought provoking
-Fast paced
-Translate/communicate complex concepts in a way that is both clear and succinct
-Must be engaging: doesn't necessarily need to illustrate an article exactly but give the reader enough of an idea of what it's about so as to entice people to read further
-Can communicate and say more than what a photo can due to imagination/viewpoint/opinions of the illustrator
-Research is essential to making informed and interesting responses within the context of editorial
Cliental
-The Association of Illustrators sells 'The Edittorial Directory' online listing all companies that commission editorial work
-Art directors like to see a range of work and a social element being used to show work: ie instagram has become a major base for gaining commissions
Range of Work
-Newspaper/websites, usually broadsheets such as The Observer, The Guardian and the Times; important to bare in mind that the political leanings of these papers will effect what they commission
-Lifestyle magazine such as Frankie and Menshealth. This is either used to give the magazine a distinct visual identity as is the case with Frankie or as informative/instructional illustrations in Menshealth. In the latter case illustrations can be more useful than photos as they can be more simple and clear in what they are telling you to do.
-Illustrate subject matter that can't be photographed such as complex scientific theories or concepts as is the case with many articles in New Scientist.
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